Dance-a-thon shows amputees have moves, dreams

I Dance to the Beat of my Big Dreams was held on April 16 at Monarch School of Dance at Perkins Center for the Arts in Collingswood. April is Amputee Awareness Month.

Buy Photo

Chase Merriweather, 6, of Sicklerville, center, who required a quadruple amputation a few years ago after contracting a near deadly strain of the flu and going into septic shock, dances with friends during the “I Dance to the Beat of my Big Dreams” 2016 Dance-A-Thon at Monarch School of Dance at Perkins Center for the Arts in Collingswood on Saturday. Chase's parents, Chad and Chisa Merriweather, started a nonprofit called Chase Ur Dream to assist children like Chase and their families deal with the financial and emotional strain of amputation. Proceeds from the event went to the nonprofit as well as the Monarch School of Dance scholarship funds. 04.16.16
(Photo: Chris LaChall/Staff Photographer)Buy Photo

It was the start of the “I Dance to the Beat of my Big Dreams” 2016 Dance-A-Thon at Monarch School of Dance at Perkins Center for the Arts on a recent Saturday afternoon.

Chase’s own story inspired the event.

The boy required a quadruple amputation a few years ago after contracting a near deadly strain of the flu and going into septic shock. The life-saving treatment of his illness ultimately led to necrosis, which required he have his limbs removed in December 2013.

His parents, Chad and Chisa Merriweather, started Chase Ur Dream to help children and their families deal with the financial and emotional strain of amputation. The Merriweathers use their organization as a “motivational tool” for other children dealing with limb loss and also give others assets and resources so they don’t have to handle it on their own.

Proceeds from the event — fittingly held during Amputee Awareness Month — will go to the nonprofit as well as the Monarch School of Dance scholarship funds.

“My cousin owns Monarch Dance School. I just wanted to put something together. I just thought the dance-a-thon, plus Chase loves to dance,” Chisa Merriweather said. “I thought it would be a perfect combination.

“We’ve gotten a really great response with it. A bunch of his teachers came out to help out, his therapists are here, too. It’s been good.”

Kamilae Cobbs, co-owner at Monarch, was more than happy to be a part of the event for her cousin Chase and for all the other children like him.

“It’s a great partnership,” said Cobbs, who also lives in Sicklerville. “We really just wanted to lend a space and the message of awareness about Amputee Awareness Month and children amputees, which I don’t think as a cause gets a lot of attention. Chase is a phenomenal kid. He inspires all of us. Not just the family but the community. He dances and we dance, so we thought it was a great partnership to do a dance-a-thon together.”

Buy Photo

Chase Merriweather, 6, of Sicklerville, left, who required a quadruple amputation a few years ago after contracting a near deadly strain of the flu and going into septic shock, dances with his friend Hailey Perkins, 6 of Pine Hill, during the “I Dance to the Beat of my Big Dreams” 2016 Dance-A-Thon at Monarch School of Dance at Perkins Center for the Arts in Collingswood on Saturday.(Photo: Chris LaChall/Staff Photographer)

Jamie Bradford was Chase’s physical therapist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia after his amputations. She’s watched him progress through hard work and support from his family.

“His family was great,” she said. “What they’re doing is pretty awesome for children with limb loss. We couldn’t help but come support them. … He’s awesome. He’s a crazy kid. He’s running all over the place. I can’t wait to see where he goes.”

“We had our Chase go through some unfortunate situations, but we all pulled together,” she said. “We’re really blessed as a family.”

The event featured dance performances by Monarch dancers and a special performance by amputee Izzy Cole, 11, from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, who performed with her best friend Kaitlyn Vaccola, 12.

Izzy, who performs modern, jazz and hip hop, had her right lower leg amputated when she was 8 months old and dances with a prosthetic.

Buy Photo

Children dance during the “I Dance to the Beat of my Big Dreams” 2016 Dance-A-Thon at Monarch School of Dance at Perkins Center for the Arts in Collingswood on Saturday. Proceeds from the event went to the Chase Ur Dream nonprofit , started to assist children and their families deal with the financial and emotional strain of amputations, as well as the Monarch School of Dance scholarship funds. 04.16.16
(Photo: Chris LaChall/Staff Photographer)

“It’s exciting because I just really like dancing,” Izzy said. “I’m happy I got invited to come here. I get to dance with my best friend. This is my second year of dancing. I just keep going, I adapt to it. It’s really fun. It’s a passion.”

Her friend Kaitlyn encouraged her to get involved with dancing.

“She didn’t think she could do it. I said, ‘No, you can do it,’ “ Kaitlyn said with a grin. “I didn’t think I’d be invited here because I’m not an amputee but I guess I did pretty cool. It’s all because of the best person in the world (Izzy).”

Izzy’s mom Monica Cole had a front row seat to watch the pair perform. Her family met Chase’s family at Camp No Limits, a camp for kids with limb loss in Maryland.

“I love Chase,” Cole said. “We were invited by Chase’s mom, who got to see Izzy dance. It’s great. Izzy’s used to it. She’s a trooper.”

Six-year-old Tammy Burseth of Cliffwood also met Chase and his family at Camp No Limits.

Tammy was born with a short right femur bone and had her lower leg amputated in 2012 when she was 2. She had a prosthetic a few months later.

“She’s doing fine,” Dana Burseth said of her daughter. “She can walk with or without it, like Chase. They do what they’ve got to do. I love the event. They’re great people. I’m glad she gets to be around people who understand her situation. Makes her feel good. I love it.”